November 7, 2026 -- Proverbs 16:8 -- Serve with thankfulness

People loved by the Father, in the Spirit's power: Sh'ma ~ hear and obey Jesus!

Better is a little with righteousness
than great revenues with injustice. Proverbs 16:8 ESV
 
The Proverbs can be quite repetitive. Today’s text is echoed in Proverbs 15:16 and Psalm 37:16. Its teaching is a diamond of truth, and the repetitions invite you to consider different facets of the same truth. So, what is it saying? I really appreciate this perspective:  It is not God’s plan for every person to be rich any more than it is His plan for every person to be short, or blond, or shy, or Norwegian. The diversities of humanity are part of the mystery of God’s creation, His master design. {Leadership Ministries Worldwide, Proverbs, The Preacher’s Outline & Sermon Bible (Chattanooga, TN: Leadership Ministries Worldwide, 2012), 250.}
 
Whatever you have, however God has blessed you, serve Him with righteousness. To be righteous means to administer God’s goodness in every sphere of your life. Tithe what He has given. To tithe means to give at least 10% of your wages back to God. He gave you the job. He gave you the ability. Tithing is an acknowledgement of the fact you are 100% His. When you give, you honour God and offer practical help to the body of believers. (Money in the church keeps the lights on, pays the pastor’s salary, and provides help for church members who are in need.) Plus tithing provides resources in the church for evangelism.
 
The comparison between the little of the righteous and the great revenue of others is a warning. The world pays a ridiculous amount of attention to the super rich, movies stars, influencers, and sports stars. They may have great wealth, or acting talents, or great physical abilities but be completely godless and witless. Psalm 37 (which we noted earlier, echoes today’s text from Proverbs 16:8) begins this way, “Fret not yourself because of evildoers; be not envious of wrongdoers! For they will soon fade like grass and wither like the green herb” Psalm 37:1-2. Evildoers, those whose living is self-centred and unjust, will be punished. No one can claim I am self-made. All we have comes from the LORD. He made us; therefore, has the right to command how we are to live.
 
The only thing that lasts forever is devotion to Jesus. In Him we have a righteousness that is not our own. At the cross Jesus was punished in our place. At the cross His perfect obedience was imputed (credited to) believers. The Spirit then holds believers in the grip of God’s grace so that serving Him with our time, our talents and our treasures is a pleasure.
 
Father in heaven, I know this, I am not my own. I was bought at the extravagant price of the blood of Jesus. Jesus rescued from me from Your perfectly just anger against all my sin. As one set free, with my wealth or poverty, whatever talents or abilities I have may I spend the rest of my life thanking You. By the power of the Spirit in me may my words, life, and works be offered in service to You. Let that service be like the bright, strong beam of a lighthouse which pierces the gloom of a great storm and thereby draws others to the safety of Jesus. Amen.
 
https://youtu.be/2zr9SMm1glI?si=4GoyfFRZkBvkqcQ_
 

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